JOHN P. BRADFORD:
An Inventory of his Papers at the Minnesota Historical
Society
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| Creator: |
Bradford, John P., 1904-
. |
| Title: | John P. Bradford
papers. |
| Date: | 1862-1864,
1928-1978. |
| Abstract: | Personal files of a St. Paul (Minn.) man
documenting his successive careers as an independent filmmaker (1928-1934);
film editor for the March of Time (1935-1941);
film editor for the U.S. Army (1941-1944); a member of the Allied military
government in Germany (1944-1952); and a United Nations field worker in Korea
(1952-1956), Palestine (1956-1964), India (1965-1969), and a Peace Corps woker
in Liberia (1970-1972). The papers also include Civil War letters (1862-1864)
of Bradford's grandfather and grandmother, John and Elizabeth
Bradford. |
| Quantity: | 3.0 cu. ft. (6
boxes). |
| Location: | P1680: See Detailed Description section for
shelf locations. |
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John Pomeroy Bradford was born (May 15, 1904) and reared in St. Paul
(Minn.), graduating from St. Paul Central High School (1922), Lake Forest
Academy (1924), and Princeton University (1928). He set out upon a career in
film editing and production, producing educational films for the University
Film Foundation at Harvard University (1928-1931), producing travel films
(1931-1933) for various clients in Haiti, Italy, the South Pacific, and Africa,
and editing the March of Time newsreel series
(1934-1941) for Time, Inc., in New York (N.Y.).
He joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps with a Captain's commission in
1941, producing army training films in the Training Film Production Laboratory
at Wright Field (Dayton, Ohio) for the next two years. In 1943 Bradford was
accepted into the army's School of Military Government at the University of
Virginia (Charlottesville). After working in 1944 in London and Shrivenham,
England, Bradford became deputy military governor of Aachen (Germany) in early
1945, served in the military government of Wurzburg (1945), and then became
part of the Office of the Land Commissioner in the military government of
Bavaria (1946-1952).
Bradford joined the United Nations field staff in 1952, serving in
several administrative field positions in: the Korean Reconstruction Agency
(1952-1956), the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (1956-1964),
and the World Food Program in India, Nepal, and Ceylon (1965-1969). He retired
from the UN staff in 1969 and joined the Peace Corps the following year,
serving in Liberia until he retired from the program in 1972, following which
he returned to the United States.
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The film-related files document Bradford's work making travel, news,
and Army Air Corps training films. The military government files relate to his
work with the postwar allied governments--including reconstruction and
denazification efforts--in Aachen, Wurzburg, and Munich. Some of this material
is in German.
The remaining files document Bradford's field work assignments with
the United Nations. They include stints with the Korean Reconstruction Agency,
which worked to develop local industry; with the Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees, which worked to improve living conditions in the camps;
with the startup phase of the World Food Program in India, Ceylon, and Nepal;
and with food distribution efforts in Liberia for the Peace Corps.
The Civil War materials consist of letters between John and Elizabeth
Bradford while John served with Company B of the Fourth Regiment of Minnesota
Volunteer Infantry and while Elizabeth remained at their McLeod County
home.
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| Files are arranged in the numbered sequence established by their
creator. |
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| A print version of this collection inventory is available in the
repository; filed as P1680. |
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| This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog
of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about
related topics should search the catalog using these headings. |
| Topics: |
| | Newsreels. |
| | Motion pictures in military
education. |
| | Motion pictures -- Production and
direction. |
| | Refugees, Arab. |
| | Denazification. |
| | Military government -- Germany. |
| | Food relief -- India. |
| | Food relief -- Liberia. |
| | Industrial development projects -- South
Korea. |
| | Reconstruction (1939-1951) --
Germany. |
| Persons: |
| | Bradford, Elizabeth
McCartney. |
| | Bradford, John Nice.
|
| | Olsen, Arthur K., d. 1944. |
| Organizations: |
| | Peace Corps (U.S.) -- Liberia -- Economic
Assistance. |
| | United Nations -- India
-- Economic Assistance. |
| | United Nations -- Korea
-- Economic Assistance. |
| | United Nations -- Lebanon
-- Economic Assistance. |
| | United Nations --
Officials and employees, American. |
| | United Nations. Korean
Reconstruction Agency. |
| | United Nations Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. |
| | United States. Army.
Minnesota Infantry Regiment, 4th (1861-1865). Company B. |
| | World Food Programme.
|
| Places: |
| | United States -- History -- Civil War,
1861-1865. |
| | India -- Economic conditions --
1947-. |
| | Sri Lanka -- Economic conditions -- 1947-. |
| | Nepal -- Economic conditions -- 1947-. |
| | Korea (South) -- Economic conditions --
1948-1960. |
| | Liberia -- Economic conditions --
1971-1980. |
| | Lebanon -- Economic
conditions. |
| | Germany -- Politics and government --
1945-1990. |
| | Germany -- History --
1945-1955. |
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| Preferred Citation: |
| | [Indicate the cited item and/or series
here]. John P. Bradford Papers. Minnesota Historical Society. |
| | See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional
examples |
| Accession Information: |
| | Accession number: 12,638 |
| Processing Information: |
| | Processed by: Jeffrey Desannoy, July 2003 |
| | Catalog ID number: 09-00042118 |
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Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the
location and box numbers shown below.
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Film Projects, 1928-1941
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| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 1 |
1. University Film Foundation, 1928-1931.
|
| | | Includes a booklet describing the University Film Foundation of
Cambridge, Massachusetts, which was operated in conjunction with Harvard
University. Working for the Foundation, Bradford helped make films of
"educational, artistic and scientific value," covering topics such as botany,
zoology, and anthropology. |
| | | Also includes newspaper clippings, various pamphlets and
booklets, a Harvard Alumni bulletin, a November 1930 Film Foundation Report,
and personal letters. Many of the letters are addressed to Bradford's parents,
brother, and sister. |
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2. Haiti and Santo Domingo, 1931.
|
| | | Information and correspondence about Bradford's voyage to Haiti,
the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico to shoot film for a travelogue. Many
letters to Bradford's family concern his adventures with the weather, boats,
automobiles, etc. This folder includes two photographs. |
| | | There is a typed account of the filming work, though it could be
just a personal log of travel and events. It is divided into nine chapters,
totaling 92 pages. The story recounts Bradford's travel on a freighter, as well
as his struggles in filming the citizens of Haiti and Santo Domingo. |
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3. Proposals for new films, 1932.
|
| | | The papers show Bradford looking for a job, traveling to
Cambridge and New York City. The letters are mainly addressed to his family,
detailing his attempts at developing new films. Also included are telegrams
sent and received by Bradford. Some of the papers are correspondence received
by Bradford from prospective employers, one of which is the Saint Paul
Institute Museum of Science and Natural History. Other letters detail work on
movie scripts, and letters received from Movietonews, Inc. in New York City.
Also, the first correspondence between Bradford and Louis de Rochemont, a movie
producer for whom Bradford would later work at Time, Inc., while editing the
newsreel series, March of Time. |
| | | In his personal correspondence Bradford asks for money, and
describes outings and events, and the personalities of various family friends.
Some correspondence mentions an unspecified lawsuit and trial that Bradford is
preparing for. Letters mention illnesses in the family and Bradford's advice to
his sister about what to study in school. Near the end of the correspondence
Bradford is organizing a visit to New York City by his sister Jane and his
brother Frederick. There are also letters Bradford sent while filming in
northern and central Italy, including Rome. |
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4. World cruise, 1933.
|
| | | A large booklet about the cruise provides details on where
Bradford sailed while filming a travel movie for FitzPatrick Pictures, Inc. of
New York City, accompanied by a signed agreement regarding Bradford's job
duties. The trip took Bradford from New York City through the Panama Canal to
California, then the Hawaiian Islands, Cook Islands, Samoan Islands, Fiji
Islands, New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia (Bali and Java),
Seychelle Islands, and finally to the African continent, where he ended the
world cruise and took another job filming an expedition across Africa. |
| | | The correspondence details Bradford's activities on the cruise
ship, such as swimming, sunbathing, and playing shuffleboard. Bradford comments
on several of the other cruise passengers and talks about the assignment he was
on. He mentions making test shots, testing the film, and working on the camera.
A personal "log of the world cruise" provides facts about Bradford's
experiences when shooting film and exploring different countries and cities at
ports of call. Included are eight color photographs and postcards. |
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5. Timbuctoo [sic] expedition, 1933.
|
| | | Mixture of typed and handwritten correspondence during the
six-month expedition across the continent of Africa to Timbuktu, in the present
day west African nation of Mali. Also includes photographs, undated and
unidentified. Bradford traveled across the African continent from Mombasa,
Kenya to Dakar, Senegal, having been hired by 18-year-old George Vanderbilt to
shoot photos of the expedition. |
| | | Includes several telegrams between Bradford and his family. In
his letters Bradford describes his traveling companions, the weather, wild
animals, and troubles with the vehicles. The group took a hunting safari,
traveled through military forts, and across deserts. Included is a copy of a
23-page commentary by Bradford about Timbuktu. At the end of the papers is a
bill from a taxidermy studio in New York and a 1935 newspaper article about a
missionary to Timbuktu. |
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6. Showings of and plans for more travel films,
1934.
|
| | | The correspondence relates Bradford's struggle with
unemployment, his social life, and his financial activities, such as buying
stock and opening various bank accounts. In letters to his family Bradford
prides himself on maintaining an active social life on a small budget. There
are a small number of letters to Bradford from an American photographer in
Moscow. |
| | | This folder includes lists of possible subjects for short films.
There are notes about films on sea life, Paris, London, Africa, and Cuba. There
is a projected budget for a film on Cuba, as well as detailed notes on a
possible film to be photographed in east Africa. Included is a booklet on the
Geographic Players national nights program. |
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7. The March of Time,
1935-1941, 1975-1978.
|
| | | Personal correspondence as well as photographs and newspaper
clippings during the time that Bradford worked as a film editor for Time, Inc.
and the newsreel series, The March of Time. |
| | | The majority of the papers deal with Bradford's difficult work
environment at the March of Time. Several memos
and letters detail Bradford's interactions with, and treatment by, Louis de
Rochemont, its producer. Several letters from Bradford are addressed to the
grievance committee of the Newspaper Guild of New York, asking for assistance
with, and investigation of, the staff of Time, Inc. to end workplace harassment
and difficult working conditions. The letters and memos describe conversations
and interactions with de Rochemont and another worker, Beverly Jones. |
| | | The folder contains papers about several different topics,
including Bradford's application for volunteer work on a registration advisory
draft board for the Selective Service System. There is a catalog of
March of Time episodes from February 1, 1935
through August 7, 1936. Files give information on the Time unit of the
Newspaper Guild of New York. |
| | | The correspondence and newspaper clippings in the 1970s deal
with Temple University professor Raymond Fielding, and his book about the
March of Time, in addition to book reviews and an
obituary of Louis de Rochemont. |
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8. Film worker groups, 1936.
|
| | | Bradford was a member of the board for the Association of
Documentary Film Producers in 1939, and the folder contains its membership
lists. |
| | | It also contains papers about the Motion Picture Film Editors
Guild, of which Bradford became the treasurer. The organization later became
the Motion Picture Film Editors Union Local 771. A 1944 newsletter,
The Film Editor, lists Bradford as a member of the
union who was serving in the armed forces, outside of New York. There is
correspondence from 1978 concerning an article in a newsletter about the
formation of union local 771. |
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9. Training Film Production Laboratory, 1941.
|
| | | Correspondence, mainly between Bradford and Lieutenant Colonel
Hoorn, regarding Bradford's application for a job in the U.S. Army Signal Corps
motion picture division. One of the War Department's training film production
laboratories was located at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio, where Bradford began
his military career. The letters detail Bradford's negotiation about salary,
training, opportunity for promotion, and his past film experience. |
| | | During the negotiation between Bradford and Hoorn, a letter
appeared from the War Department relating that a source had named Bradford as a
communist and a labor union agitator. This prompted a loyalty and background
investigation, which slowed down his application to work for the Army. Included
in the folder are a series of letters addressed to Hoorn from Bradford's
friends and coworkers serving as character witnesses, testifying to his
patriotism and loyalty as an American citizen. Included in Bradford's
correspondence are letters he sent resigning from the registration advisory
board of the Selective Service, and the responses from the men he had worked
with. |
| | | Bradford was commissioned as a captain on December 3, 1941.
There is a photograph of Bradford working with Hoorn, and a photo of Bradford
with his good friend Alice Fields. |
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 2 |
10. Training Film Production Laboratory, 1942-1943.
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| | | A mix of personal and military correspondence, which includes
memos and interoffice letters. The military correspondence includes a series of
letters wherein Bradford promises to write an article to be published in a film
trade newsletter, as well as letters about the creation of training films for
the War Department. A copy of the February Film
News newsletter is included. There are rosters and a letter of
commendation from Colonel Hoorn. The correspondence about the cutting room
provides some insight into film editing. |
| | | In December 1942 Bradford was promoted from captain to major.
Near the end of the correspondence he expresses his interest in potential
postwar problems and a national soldiers organization. There are notes about a
legal case between Time, Inc. and the Newspaper Guild of New York. One of the
last items is a letter in mid-1943 in which Bradford indicates his interest in
an assignment to the Military Government School. |
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Allied Military Government in Germany, 1941-1952
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| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 2 |
11. School of Military Government, 1943.
|
| | | Official military correspondence about Bradford's transfer from
the training film production laboratory in Ohio to the School of Military
Government at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Bradford's May 1943
application contains what he believes are his qualifications to attend the
school; the document reads like a résumé with respect to his education,
travel, and work experience. There are lists of what a soldier is expected to
bring for their transfer to an office or station in Europe. |
| | | Bradford's personal correspondence describes his experience as a
student at the School of Military Government. A graduation booklet for the
school offers photographs and biographies of the students. A separate
photograph is included. |
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12. Shriven and Eastbourne, England, 1944.
|
| | | Mix of correspondence, both personal and military, which include
memos and interoffice letters. Several memos explore possible training films
for Civil Affairs missions. In one memo, Bradford describes different foreign
films and their possible usefulness in orienting civil affairs soldiers in
Western European culture. As of early September 1944, Bradford was still
stationed in England. |
| | | In several personal letters between Bradford and his friends Bob
and Alice, Bradford describes U.S. military life in England, the city of
London, and everyday occurrences and mishaps. He also discusses politics in the
U.S. |
| | | Postcards show Shrivenham and Eastbourne, England. There is a
1947 photograph of John Bradford, Alice Field, and Bob (surname unknown).
Newspaper clippings include a short article on civil affairs, and a cartoon
deprecating military officers. |
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13. V-Mail from U.S.A., January-September 1944.
|
| | | Two packets of V-Mail, comprising approximately 175 letters,
arranged chronologically. Each letter was supposedly examined by a censor. Much
of the writing focuses on family events, health, travels, and the weather. |
| | | The majority come from Bradford's aunt, Lillian C. Pomeroy, with
most of the rest from his mother, Mrs. John M. Bradford, and his friend Lothar
Wolff. |
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14. Capt. Arthur Olsen diary, January-November 17, 1944.
|
| | | In his correspondence in subsequent folders Bradford refers to
Olsen as his best (or very good) friend. Bradford writes that Olsen's death
affected him deeply. The diary traces Arthur K. Olsen's military service from
the United States to England, France, Holland, and Germany. His diary entries
often mention waiting for orders, waiting to travel to a new camp or base, and
waiting for action. He departed the U.S. on January 19, 1944 on a troop ship
across the Atlantic Ocean, in a convoy with more than 32 ships. The trip took
11 days before arriving in Wales and traveling to an Army camp at Shrivenham,
England. Olsen most likely met Bradford at Shrivenham. In his diary Olsen notes
turning 40, Allied bombing raids across the English Channel into France and
Germany, and various daily activities in preparation for the invasion of
continental Europe: lectures, classes, weapons practice, hiking, trips to
London, inspections, and trying to keep busy after the D-Day invasion into
Normandy. Olsen didn't transfer from England to France until August 27. At
various camps in France Olsen witnessed and survived bombing raids and
shelling. On October 16 Olsen and his unit entered Germany, where he processed
various kinds of paperwork and also inspected coal mines. On November 17 he was
killed in action by German shelling. |
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15. Across the Channel and Occupation of Aachen,
September-December 1944.
|
| | | In the personal correspondence Bradford retyped some letters and
did not note the author. In a letter dated November 18, 1944 he notes the news
that a close friend was killed in action. In several letters, Bradford
expresses his opinion about France. For example, after briefly living on the
grounds of a chateau built in France in 1900, he states that it is a "most
garish display and no good to live in as a house." Bradford mentions everyday
events such as selling his motorcycle, traveling in convoys around France and
Belgium, enjoying simple pleasures like a cup of wine, and enjoying the
beautiful scenery. In a few letters he hints at maintaining security and not
revealing the specific places he has traveled. |
| | | There is a German newspaper from November 13, 1944 and only a
small portion of it has been translated. Some documents are in German and
attached to their English translations. One German document is dated 1933, and
another is an evacuation order from sometime in mid-1944. There is an American
military message to the people of Aachen appealing for assistance in rebuilding
the city. Newspaper clippings about the city of Aachen, which was Bradford's
first assignment in occupied Germany, begin in October 1944. Other clippings
offer details about the war and occupation elsewhere in Germany. There are
unidentified photographs of city scenes, which may be Aachen. |
| | | Military memos are concerned with explaining to American forces
what is expected in running the military government, such as reconstruction,
housing, transportation, and public safety. Some memos request food and other
aid for the citizens of Aachen. |
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16. V-Mail from U.S.A., September-December 1944.
|
| | | A total of 89 V-mail letters, organized chronologically, are
handwritten and difficult to read. Much of the writing focuses on family
events, health, travels, and the weather. |
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17. Military Government Aachen, January-March 1945.
|
| | | Several newspaper clippings about the war in Germany and
occupied Aachen, some containing quotes from Bradford. Several articles are
about former Nazi party members working for the military government in Aachen.
One article, with a photo of Bradford, names him as the deputy military
governor of Aachen and discusses his supervision of a labor union of miners.
Clippings contain photos of Cologne and Remagen in Germany. |
| | | The correspondence focuses on Bradford's work with the Military
Government and interactions with German civilians. In several letters Bradford
says he wishes he could say what he wants to when newspaper reporters were
around, both the good and the bad, but realizes that he cannot speak his mind
and can only effect change within his military detachment. |
| | | Memos discuss the process of creating an educational council to
help start up schools for the youth of Aachen. By late February 1945, 1,200
children lived in the city. The government expected the population of children
to increase once they began returning from sites they had been evacuated to
during Allied bombing. One memo that was prepared but not released to the press
concerns the dismissal of the last six employees of the Aachen city government
who were former members of the Nazi Party. |
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18. Military Government Aachen, April-June 1945.
|
| | | A booklet ("Deutsches Lesebuch I") with photos lists military
personnel that Bradford worked with in Aachen, and is followed by a military
government telephone directory. Memos discuss the opening of schools in Aachen
in April 1945. The military government intended the schools to teach children
anti-Nazism, anti-militarism, and democratic principles with new textbooks.
Other correspondence details a plan of instruction for German school children
in grades one through four. Each grade was assigned subjects that included
math, reading, gym, religion, music, and "legends of native areas." One memo
deals with grades one through eight. Other memos discuss the discovered Aachen
treasures and their return to the city. |
| | | Several newspaper articles describe the opening of schools in
Aachen. One article from the New York Post Daily
Magazine covers the new school textbooks in Germany as well as the
return to Aachen of the remains of Charlemagne, which had been removed in 1939
for safekeeping. The American military government in Aachen handed its
administration over to the British on June 16, 1945 as part of the plan for
partitioning Allied areas of responsibility in Germany. |
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 3 |
19. V-Mail from U.S.A., January-June 1945.
|
| | | The V-mail letters, organized chronologically, are handwritten
and difficult to read. Most focus on family events, health, travels, and the
weather. |
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20. Military Government Wurzburg, also V-Mail, July-September 1945.
|
| | | In July 1945 Bradford was assigned to work in the military
government of Wurzburg, Germany. Some of the correspondence details the process
of his promotion to lieutenant colonel. Other correspondence shows his friends
in the United States trying to fulfill Bradford's request to locate books on
democracy for use in Germany. Letters mention Bradford's job designing the
education system in the city, as well as directing denazification. Memos give
information on the investigation of school committees made up of German
citizens. |
| | | A political activity report discusses the Communist Party, the
Social Democratic Party, the Christian Democratic Party, and the Christian
Social Union. |
| | | Photographs show scenes of Wurzburg and actress Ingrid Bergman
with American troops. A magazine entitled Army
Talks (November 1945), features articles on German propaganda. The
folder includes a packet of 31 V-Mail letters from Bradford's mother and
aunt. |
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21. Military Government Wurzburg, October-December 1945.
|
| | | A memo awards Bradford the bronze star medal. Correspondence
discusses Bradford's travels in Europe. Several political activity reports
discuss the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Christian
Social Union. One document (6 pp.) details an October meeting between Bradford
and the Wurzburg school board. There are typed notes from a speech Bradford
delivered on the occasion of the first concert in Wurzburg (Oct. 31) of the
Wurzburg Symphony Orchestra. An October report (11 pp.) details topics such as
denazification, political activity, civil administration, education and
religious affairs, public safety, food and agriculture, public health, and
other matters. Some of the correspondence congratulates Bradford on his
promotion to lieutenant colonel, and one gives information about the war crimes
trials and the German defendants in Nuremberg, Germany in November. In a letter
to the editor of the Army publication Stars and
Stripes, Bradford suggests that the subject of education in postwar
Germany has not received enough attention. Documents entitled historical
reports give summaries of activities and conditions of the civilians in
Wurzburg. Included is a picture postcard in German. |
| |
22. Military Government Wurzburg, January-March 1945.
|
| | | Several political activity reports discuss the Communist Party,
the Social Democratic Party, and the Christian Social Union. Historical reports
give summaries of activities and conditions of the civilians in Wurzburg. In a
January letter Bradford thanks another officer for his assistance to Bradford
and other military government officers in gaining admission to the Nuremberg
trials. A speech (5 pp.) commemorates the opening of the Julius-Maximilians
University in Wurzburg. A March memo notes that Bradford will leave his current
job in Wurzburg and become a Land Government Supervisor in the Civil
Administration Branch of the office of military government for Bavaria. |
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23. Wurzburg local items, April 1945 and later.
|
| | | A long 1947 article from the Wurzburg
Post-Argus newspaper tells the story of the reconstruction of Wurzburg.
There is also a 1949 article from the Stars and
Stripes. A 1949 article from the German newspaper Main Post features an article on Bradford. There is a
German newspaper titled Wien Prost. Some items are
from the Amerika Haus in Wurzburg including a speech in German from Bradford at
the Amerika Haus in May 1949. One packet contains a letter to Bradford in
German, along with newspaper clippings from the Wurzburg
Main Post containing photos of Bradford. There is a photograph of
Montana Senator Lee Metcalf, as well as a 1978 obituary for him. |
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24. Time, New Yorker, etc., 1946.
|
| | | Three 1946 issues of The New Yorker
and two 1946 issues of Time magazine. There is a
large poster in German that contains a message about Franklin D. Roosevelt. |
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25. Military government bulletins, 1945-1948.
|
| | | Military government weekly informational bulletins: October
1945, March 1946, January 1948, March 1948, and September 1949. Also a large
promotional pamphlet (1977) about the Time-Life Books series on World War
II. |
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26. Office of Military Government for Bavaria, April 1946-1948.
|
| | | A 1947 memo from the Office of Military Government for Bavaria
recommends that Bradford receive an emblem for meritorious civilian service.
There are several letters of thanks and recognition, a citation letter noting
Bradford's job is chief of the governmental structures branch in the Office of
Military Government for Bavaria, the Civil Administration Division, and several
newspaper clippings concerning a "scandal" over a pro-Nazi mayor and other
German appointees to governmental posts in Germany. A small booklet contains a
1946 Stuttgart speech by James F. Byrnes, Jr., the U.S. Secretary of State. The
folder contains many invitations to Bradford, including the first meeting of
the Union of Bavarian towns, the Constituent Land Assembly, an art exhibit, a
performance by the Bayerische Hilfswerk, and the chance to make a speech at a
Military Government class. Included are notes on the role of a military
government. Many military documents discuss the struggle to give Germans
control over elections and other democratic institutions. One military
government proclamation sets out the United States' role in governing Germany.
There is a printed text of a radio broadcast that Bradford participated in on
March 25, 1947. |
| | | There are also a map and photos of Munich; a personnel roster
listing the American soldiers, their home address in the United States, and
their living quarters in Germany; and a memo (April 15, 1948) stating that
Bradford would be returning for a visit to the United States during the coming
summer. By mid-1948, Bradford's job title was chief of the government and
policies branch for the Civil Administration Division of the Office of Military
Government for Bavaria. He may have been working as a civilian at this
point. |
| |
27. Constitutions of Bavaria, Hesse, Wurtemburg-Baden,
[1947].
|
| | | Printed constitutions of Bavaria, Hesse, and Wuerttemberg-Baden
produced by the Office of Military Government for Germany (U.S.) in Berlin
(Feb. 15, 1947). The document is in both English and German. |
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 4 |
28. Office of Military Government Bavaria, 1949-1950.
|
| | | There are four pages from the Weekly Intelligence Report for the
military government concerning obstructionism and productivity and wages.
Documents discuss implementing democratic reforms in Germany. Newspaper
clippings from German newspapers deal with the military government, as do
clippings from Time magazine. A letter from the
White House notes the formation of the German Federal Republic (West Germany)
in September 1949. An organizational chart of the Office of Land Commissioner
for Bavaria sketches the chain of command. A memo notes that Bradford spoke on
Bavarian radio Oct. 11, 1949 to discuss the subject of "a school for local
government." In November 1950 Bradford was appointed acting chief of the
Political Affairs Division of the Office of Land Commissioner for Bavaria. A
memo notes that Bradford gave clearance for a friend to pick up a pistol from
the U.S. Customs House in New York that Bradford intended to keep as a war
trophy. |
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29. Military government in Germany, history and analysis,
1950.
|
| | | Two booklets about military government in Germany:
The Annals of the American Academy of Political and
Social Science (January 1950), and History of the
Allied Commission For Germany: Its Establishment, Structure, and
Procedures (December 1950). |
| |
30. Office of Land Commissioner for Bavaria reports,
1950.
|
| | | Two documents from the political affairs division of the Office
of the Land Commissioner for Bavaria: "Prospects for Democratic Development in
Bavaria" (April 15, 1950, 47 pp.), and "OLCB Seminar for Resident Officers"
(139 pp.). |
| |
31. Land Commissioner for Bavaria, Political Affairs
Publications, 1951.
|
| | | Four small booklets published in German: Was Halten Sie von einer Neuen: Bayerischen
Gemeinde-Ordnung; Du, Bürger, bist der
Staat!; Die Sendung des Landeskommissars für
Bayern; Wohin des Wegs? |
| | | One booklet in English is entitled Where
Do we Stand?. It is the text of a speech by Adam Stegerwald on May 11,
1945. The topics include: Denazification of German life, National Socialism
without power to change the world, background of the last two world wars, the
psychology and starting point of great conflicts, historical crisis, and the
essence of democracy. |
| |
32. Land Commissioner for Bavaria, 1951-1952, and later.
|
| | | In June 1951 Bradford was appointed chief (from acting chief) of
the Political Affairs Division of the Office of the Land Commissioner for
Bavaria. Memos discuss German parliamentary representatives and Radio Free
Europe. |
| | | In January 1952 Bradford received an official letter terminating
his employment with the High Commissioner for Germany. He left Germany that
month to return to the United States. Letters thank him for his work and
commend him on his accomplishments. In a farewell speech Bradford notes that he
has recently been awarded a certificate for proficiency in the German language.
A number of letters bid farewell to him, including several in German. |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
United Nations Projects, 1952-1969
|
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 4 |
33. United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency,
1952-1954.
|
| | | In the summer of 1952 Bradford was traveling through the United
States by car, and correspondence with friends describes his drive through
Texas and Seattle. In a June 22 letter Bradford describes possible sources of
employment: the National Geographic Society, lecturing with films, and starting
a small business. He also mentions a trip to Mexico. |
| | | In one letter to friends Bradford states he began working in
Korea in October 1952, and by April 1953 he was working in Pusan. There are
notes from meetings of the United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency staff
association, and Bradford was the chairman of the mess and entertainment
committee. In a June 1953 letter Bradford describes his job duties as a project
officer, which included keeping track of 53 programs in the reconstruction
agency. Bradford hinted that the U.S. State Department was responsible for
keeping him in the job. A Korean Times newspaper
dated July 28, 1953 notes the Korean armistice. |
| | | A series of letters from the United Nations note that some of
Bradford's personal belongings were destroyed in November 1953 when storage
buildings burned while he was on home leave. Two memos from early 1954 describe
Bradford's new duties in coordinating fertilizer, flat glass, and cement
projects. In some personal letters he mentions not enjoying his work, and also
describes job tasks, such as helping to construct housing in Pusan. An April
1954 letter from the Army notes that he must complete a "Loyalty Certificate of
Personnel of the Armed Forces" since he is an Army Reserve commissioned
officer. |
| | | A copy of an affidavit by Bradford states that he can "maintain
and support Mr. Shinn, Rinn-Sup in the United States" and it details Bradford's
personal finances. No other information refers to Bradford's support of the
Korean man. A large booklet details the reconstruction of housing at Pusan
after a fire destroyed much of it. In addition, there is one photo of Bradford
sitting at a desk. |
| |
34. Loyalty clearance, 1954.
|
| | | In a 1953 presidential order, Dwight Eisenhower required that
American citizens being considered for employment in a public international
organization be subjected to a background investigation. The International
Organizations Employees Loyalty Board required Bradford to undergo a loyalty
clearance in order to continue working for the United Nations. A 1954 letter to
Bradford indicates that certain reports at the loyalty board contained
"information of a derogatory nature." Bradford was required to complete an
"interrogatory" form and submit it to the loyalty board, which had received a
1941 report that accused Bradford of being a communist, propagating communist
ideologies, and disseminating communist literature, among several other
charges. |
| | | The file contains a copy of the "interrogatory" and Bradford's
responses to the accusations. His writing describes the workplace harassment
and difficult working conditions at the March of
Time, as well as his role in the Newspaper Guild of New York. Much of
this information is related to records in file 9. As in 1941, many of
Bradford's friends and coworkers served as character witnesses and testified to
his patriotism and loyalty. |
| |
35. U.N. Korean Reconstruction Agency, 1955.
|
| | | A July 1955 interoffice memo recommends that Bradford be
promoted from his position as a political officer, and that his position be
reclassified. The memo notes that he had been acting chief of the Fisheries
Division and briefly describes his job responsibilities. Memos document the
United Nations' reasons for terminating his employment in October 1955. His
certificate of service shows the three different positions he held while
working in Korea. Several of the letters are personal correspondence to
Bradford from Korean friends. In addition is a series of photos, presumably of
South Korea. |
| |
36. UNKRA in Action, 1956.
|
| | | This booklet of the United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency,
UKRA in Action describes the reconstruction
agency's role in rebuilding South Korea and developing the country's natural
resources. |
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 5 |
37. U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,
1956-1959.
|
| | | A March 1956 contract describes Bradford's appointment as a
projects analyst to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees. The headquarters were in Beirut and Bradford worked there as well as
in Jordan, Syria, and Israel. A map details refugee camps in the Middle East
and several letters discuss living conditions in them. In May 1957 Bradford was
named chief of the Social Welfare Division. A July 1956 letter notes that he
would visit Baghdad "from time to time" during a liaison officer's leave to the
United States. In his personal correspondence Bradford describes such events as
living and working conditions in Beirut, Damascus, and Amman. Bradford
discusses purchasing an automobile, renting an apartment, dispersing U.N. aid,
attending a funeral, and dealing with officials from different Middle Eastern
countries. |
| |
38. U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,
1960-1963.
|
| | | Notes from a speech by Bradford regarding the U.N.'s Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and welfare programs for them. A list gives
details about organizations that the U.N. Welfare Division maintained contact
with, such as the British Red Cross Society and American Middle East Relief.
Other documents offer details about welfare programs, a summary of six years of
budgets for the welfare and placement services to UNRWA refugees, and
facilities for welfare activities. |
| | | A 1960 letter from the U.S. Army discharges Bradford from the
Army Reserve after 28 years of commissioned service. Documents show that
Bradford helped organize and lead an archaeological expedition to Egypt in
early 1962. In a letter to the American University Hospital in Beirut Bradford
notes that if he dies while living in Lebanon, he would like to donate his body
"for its use in the teaching of medicine." |
| |
39. U.N. Relief and Works Agency Reports, 1960, 1962.
|
| | | Two booklets: Secretary: Journal of the
World Federation of Associations of Secretaries of YMCAs (1963), and
Seminar on Cooperatives for UNRWA Social Welfare
Staff (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,
1960). |
| |
40. U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,
1964.
|
| | | Contains sub-folders labeled by Bradford, the first of which is
entitled "Efforts towards further employment." In the spring of 1963 Bradford
was approaching 60, the age of U.N. retirement. There are copies of letters he
sent to the World Health Organization, U.S. Committee for Refugees, and the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, among others, as well as
some rejection letters. |
| | | There is a station list for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees. An April 1964 letter indicates that Bradford intends to
take a position with the World Food Program as a project officer in India
beginning in the fall. Bradford was given the job after a trip to Geneva and
Rome. He left Beirut in May, and there are copies of his own farewell letters,
as well as letters wishing him luck and praising him. |
| | | Another sub-folder, entitled "Towards a new occupation,"
contains several letters between Bradford and the World Food Program in Rome.
Some letters discuss Bradford's salary, travel arrangements, and the delay in
his start date. A memo provides a detailed job description. |
| | | Printed matter includes a special issue of The Economist about Lebanon, a newsletter entitled
Palestine Refugees Today, and three newspaper
clippings from 1978 about the war in Lebanon. |
| |
41. U.N./F.A.O. World Food Program India, Ceylon, Nepal,
1965-1966.
|
| | | Letters and memos document Bradford's work and travels in India.
There is a 1965 booklet entitled UN/FAO World Food
Program as well as one entitled World Food Program
News. Several pages torn from assorted publications detail projects in
India. A photograph explanation (photo not identified) notes that Bradford took
an expedition in Nepal into the Himalayas. |
| |
42. U.N./F.A.O. World Food Program India, Ceylon, Nepal,
1967.
|
| | | Letters detail work projects in India, Ceylon, and Nepal of the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Correspondence between
Food Program offices shows a strained relationship between officials in Rome
and India. Bradford worked on projects that included livestock feed programs,
poultry farms, milk production, and a canal and irrigation system. |
| | | There are also some booklets and pamphlets:
World Food Program News (July-Aug. 1967);
supplement to U.N. weekly newsletter; The Realist,
with an article by Bradford on p. 26; and India and the
UN Family Work Together on Projects for Development. |
| | | A series of photographs depict India, as well as Bradford
unveiling a plaque bearing his name at a feed mixing plant in Ceylon. |
| |
43. U.N./F.A.O. World Food Program India, 1968.
|
| | | A January letter congratulates Bradford on a promotion, and a
letter by Bradford hints at his possible upcoming departure from his job.
Several memos discuss administrative actions on food program projects, without
mentioning much about the actual projects except for their titles. They include
food assistance in drought-stricken areas, soil conservation, construction of
roads, land development, livestock feeding, maize and milk supplies, and animal
husbandry. There are memos and a photograph of Bradford studying in England at
a project officers training course. There is also a series of photographs. |
| |
44. U.N./F.A.O. World Food Program India, 1969.
|
| | | Memos offer information on a variety of projects that Bradford
oversaw. Several pieces of correspondence deal with Bradford's departure from
the food program in September 1969 and his plans to return to the United
States. Also included is the text of a farewell address to Bradford at his
retirement party in India. There are two copies of the of the
World Food Program News. A sub-folder entitled
"Visit to Angkor Wat" (Cambodia) contains an article by Bradford in an informal
newsletter of the U.N. women's association bulletin. |
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 6 |
45. World Food Program India, Social invitations,
[1965-1969].
|
| | | There are 84 invitations to a variety of events including:
weddings, United Nations functions, social functions of the governments of
India and the U.S.S.R., the U.S. ambassador's receptions, and events of the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Peace Corps, 1970-1972
|
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 6 |
46. Peace Corps, Liberia, 1970.
|
| | | Correspondence between Bradford and the Peace Corps, as well as
personal correspondence. A typed list gives details of nine months Bradford
traveled (mostly within the U.S.) between December 17, 1969 and September 10,
1970. Another offers details on his "in-country orientation" schedule in
Liberia in August. Bradford was assigned as an advisor to the program manager
of the National Food Assistance Unit. |
| | | Included are photos of Liberia, a map of Liberia, a booklet
entitled Liberia Public Administration Group XXII,
and a pamphlet about Liberia by the American Geographical Society. |
| |
47. Peace Corps, Liberia, 1971.
|
| | | A memo from Bradford in March notes that his job is to advise
and assist in the development of the Liberian government's National Food
Assistance Unit. Other documents describe specific projects, such as assisting
thousands of high school and college students, and self-help programs in rural
areas. Bradford also began designing plans for a combination meeting room,
cafeteria, and classroom. There are a series of photos of a model of the
building. |
| | | Correspondence from friends keep Bradford informed of their
lives. Letters mention Bradford's medical concerns and also medical treatment
in Washington, D.C. and New York. Particularly interesting are his written
instructions to the men who watched over his home while he left on medical
leave. A one-page document summarizes Bradford's itinerary during his two
months in the United States. In his personal correspondence Bradford describes
living conditions in Monrovia. A copy of the Liberian
Star newspaper of July 28, 1971 notes the death of Liberian president
William V. S. Tubman. |
| |
48. Peace Corps, Liberia, 1972.
|
| | | In early 1972 Bradford struggled with increased job
responsibility and uncertainty about the financial health of the Peace Corps in
Liberia. Several letters in his personal correspondence discuss his plans to
leave the Peace Corps, and include his letter of resignation. Professional
correspondence details the financial difficulties of the Peace Corps in Liberia
as it considers cutting back its operations there. |
| |
49. Peace Corps, Liberia pamphlets and reports, 1970-1971.
|
| | | Included are: social invitations, annual report (1970-1971) of
Liberia's National Food Assistance Program, a booklet entitled
Liberian Cultural Patterns 1965, 26 pp.), the
Liberian presidential inauguration, and a report on a 1971 visit of an
inter-departmental team to Bong, Lofa, and Nimba. |
| |
50. Peace Corps, Liberia manuals and guides, 1971.
|
| | | Includes National Food Assistance Unit policy manual, field
inspection guide, and a nutrition guide. |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Genealogical and Civil War Materials, 1861-1864
|
| Location | Box |
| P1680 | 6 |
51. "Reaching Back: Fifty Years in the Life of John Nice
Bradford."
|
| | | Contains letters between Bradford and his wife Elizabeth (McLeod
County, Minnesota) while he fought with the Union Army in the southern
campaigns, 1861-1864. Also gives genealogical information about the descendents
of Thomas Bradford (b. 1814) and his wife Martha Parker (b. 1816). John P.
Bradford appears to be the author and editor. This information is accompanied
by copies of original letters in the three-ring notebook. |
| |
Letters, 1862-1864: J. N. Bradford and wife.
1 3-ring binder.
|
| | | Originals of correspondence between John and Elizabeth Bradford.
|
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|
